Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were recently held for the fifth-floor, Wilson Hall space, whose renovations were sponsored by Tenneco, a global supplier of clean air and ride-performance technologies.

“Our support of this initiative is driven by Tenneco’s commitment to engage and develop future talent and prepare them for cross-disciplinary functions within an organization like ours,” said Brian Kesseler, Tenneco’s chief operating officer. “We look forward to growing our partnership with MSU to ensure that students have the resources and opportunities that will give them a strong foundation for an engineering career.”

Leo Kempel, dean of the College of Engineering, thanked Tenneco for the nearly $300,000 gift and the support it will provide CoRe students.

“As a global leader in automotive technology, Tenneco’s interest in and support of our students will help them become the professionals we need to tackle the world’s transportation challenges,” Kempel said. “Tenneco and MSU are a good match to guide future Spartan Engineers into creative solutions that reflect their passion for performance and efficiency.”

Tenneco’s support of MSU’s College of Engineering encompasses several key areas. In the past year, the company has sponsored first-year design courses and led four senior capstone mechanical engineering projects.

Additionally, Tenneco is collaborating with the university and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. on an advanced combustion research program for undergraduate and graduate engineering students.

The MSU College of Engineering CoRe Program integrates first-year engineering academics with an engineering living-learning community to support the academic, professional and personal growth of first-year engineering students.

Tenneco is an $8.2 billion global manufacturing company with headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois, and approximately 30,000 employees worldwide. Tenneco is one of the world’s largest designers, manufacturers and marketers of clean air and ride performance products and systems for automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment markets and the aftermarket.